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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. cap — of ice
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. swing — music
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. swing — to play on
  11. charge — a price
  12. hand — in cards
  13. swing — in golf
  14. hand — help
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bank — for money
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bank — of a river
  20. charge — in control
  21. bank — for money
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bay — to keep at bay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com